Bhagwat knew of terror acts: Aseemanand to mag

Mohan Bhagwat had sanctioned the Hindu terror conspiracy that included the blasts in Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Sharif. This was what Aseemanand has allegedly claimed in an interview to The Caravan magazine.

Mohan Bhagwat, the current RSS chief, had sanctioned the Hindu terror conspiracy that included the blasts in Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Sharif. This was what Aseemanand, prime accused in all three cases, has allegedly claimed in an interview to The Caravan magazine.

“It is important that it be done. But you should not link it to the Sangh,” Bhagwat, who was then the RSS general secretary, had told him, Aseemanand claimed.

However, Aseemanand’s lawyer JS Rana on Wednesday issued a statement categorically stating that the contents of the article was a bundle of lies.

Rana has also said that his client denies having given any such interview and threatened to take legal action against the magazine and its correspondent if they failed to prove the truth of the allegations against Aseemanand.

This was the first time Bhagwat’s name came up in relation to the Hindu terror conspiracy. The interview, the magazine said in a statement, was recorded in four instalments over two years from Ambala jail, where Assemanand is lodged.

The RSS was quick to refute the claim. “It is a concocted interview and as per our information, Swami Aseemanand will issue a denial on Thursday in this regard,” said RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya.

According to the magazine, at a meeting in July 2005 in Gujarat’s Dangs district, Bhagwat and senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar had met Aseemanand and his accomplice Sunil Joshi. Joshi informed Bhagwat of a plan to bomb several Muslim targets around India.The two RSS leaders approved, Aseemanand claimed. Bhagwat told him, “We will not be involved, but if you are doing this, you can consider us to be with you.”

According to Aseemanand, the two RSS leaders had even pleaded with him to take on the task. “Swamiji, if you do this, we will be at ease,” they had allegedly said. “It would not be perceived as a crime. It would be connected to ideology. This is very important for Hindus. Please do this. You have our blessings.”